New to the shop

Despite being struck down with the flu,

(and having two sick little munchkins to boot)

it has been a rather productive week in the studio...

...and I have finally been able to update the shop with some new listings!

The Petite *Desert Flower* Rings I showed you last week are finished and listed...

They look good enough to eat!

The Azure ring is a fraction under a US ring size 7...

The Saffron ring is a US ring size 6.5...

...and the Tangerine ring is a fraction under a US ring size 8...

I also finally got around to listing these *Treasures of the Souk* Earrings which I finished a few weeks ago... 


...with the help of my gorgeous husband!

I gave him a lesson in Soldering 101...

he is a natural with the torch...

he didn't melt anything...

and he was most definitely the teachers favourite ;-)

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, lovelies!

Sterling silver and drusy ring...and a workbench that is abloom!

I knew I had to have this stone as soon as I saw it...

Can you blame me?

It is spectacular with a capital 'WOW'!

And now it has a sparkling new home built of sterling and fine silver...

layered and lovely...

terrifically textured...

painted with a pretty patina...

(and doesn't it just make the layers and textures leap out at you!)

...and ready to be worn and loved!

The only thing I love more than working with beautiful gems such as this,

is working with gems of people such as the new owner of this ring.

Thank you SO much for letting me create this special ring just for you, Triz!


This stone is *nearly* half as lovely as you are ♥

~*~

My workbench has also been abloom with my Desert Flower rings this weekend!

I'm working on a custom made Desert Flower ring for a lovely, lovely lady...

...and I had the idea (some time ago) to create a 'petite' version of this ring.


The original is a sweeping 37mm in diameter.


And the petite version will be 31mm in diameter :-)
(no, really, it IS petite!)


I couldn't decide which colour to start working on...


...so I started with three...

Tangerine, Saffron and Azure.


Delicious!


The ring bands haven't been attached yet, so send me a message if you'd like me to make one of these lovelies in your size :-)


Wishing you a wonderful week, my friends!

Sneak Preview: The *Safi* Earrings in Azure

I'm thrilled to be creating again...

It just feels...right :-)

So it is with much joy that I bring you the latest creation from my *Moroccan Odyssey* Collection...

The *Safi* Earrings in Azure

Inspired by the Moroccan city of Safi which is renowned for it's beautiful, colourful pottery...

Photo credit: Zaphgod


Who wouldn't be inspired by these exquisite colours!



Photo credit: Hypo Centre


These earrings feature my original beadwoven medallions in shades of cobalt, delicious mystic orange carnelian briolettes, and hand forged earwires...

All metal components are sterling silver, which I have patinated and brushed for an antique look...

Cobalt and orange are my favourite colours at the moment...I find them so uplifting!


But the *Safi* earrings are begging to be created in other colours too.  Stay tuned ;-)


What colours are you loving right now?

My creative space...

Inspiration comes in all shapes and forms...

And sometimes, when I'm really lucky, it comes home in the form of pretty books from my ever-thoughtful husband...

The magnificent carved wooden doorframe on the cover of this Morocco book inspired me...

...to start working on a wide, but lightweight, cuff...

I've tried numerous ways to make this cuff by taking short cuts, but it just doesn't drape well.  So each little "X" and "T" shape is stitched individually and then they're stitched together. 


Time consuming?  Ridiculously so!  


I enjoy a certain amount of monotony, but this is just crazy.  Let's hope it works out...


~*~


My workspace today is all about terracotta and tangerine...

I can't get enough of these colours at the moment.  They just speak to me of Morocco.

And somebody else finds it all very inspiring too...

~*~

Head on over to Kootoyoo to see what other creative people are up to today...and add your link if you'd like to play along!

Sneak Preview: The *Ryad* Necklace in Cinnamon

I am dreaming of Morocco...

...the warmth of the desert, the technicolour architecture, the bustling souks...did I mention the warmth of the desert...?  I would do anything to escape the Winter chill right now!

Photo courtesy of Martin Allen

So, dreaming of Morocco, I present to you another sneak preview from my Moroccan-inspired collection...

The *Ryad* Necklace is a cascade of beadwoven 'windows' in shades of cinnamon and deepest chocolate, with a splash of tangerine...

The centrepiece hangs from a delicate pure copper oval rolo chain which I have patinated, hand-finished, and sealed.  The individual components are connected with patinated copper rings, making the necklace swing delightfully as you walk.

A 'Ryad' (or 'Riad') is a traditional Moroccan house or palace, typically with an enclosed garden.  Many have been converted into hotels, particularly in the popular tourist town of Marrakech.  What an inspiring location to spend a holiday!  

Photo courtesy of  Vince Millett

The rooms of the Ryad are often focused inward and around the central garden, as the outer walls of the building often lack windows to shield the occupants from the harsh elements.  

The 'windows' of my *Ryad* necklace were inspired by these beautiful homes...

Photo courtesy of bgblogging

The Cinnamon colourway is the first in this collection, but I will be making variations of the *Ryad* necklace in different colourways...stay tuned!

What exotic locations are you dreaming of, or inspired by...?

Thanks for looking, and be well!

Cerulean Sunset

Colour...it is something I have obsessed about from an early age. And it is often where I draw inspiration when beading.

The dynamic and clashy combination of cobalt and orange has been haunting me for a few weeks now. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I started other projects, but my mind kept wandering back to cobalt and orange. I had to create something. And 'Cerulean Sunset' was it.

We are treated to the most beautiful sunsets here in Western Australia. I never tire of watching the sun set over the water, Mother Nature always puts on the most glorious show. I wanted to capture a little of that magic in this necklace...the last arc of tangerine sun gleaming on the horizon, and the cerulean sky above fading into twilight...

I knew that getting the colour proportions just right was the key to the success of this piece. I hope I've nailed it.

It is a weighty necklace...the large cobalt fire-polished beads are 10mm across. Almost a whole strand went into this necklace!

For me, this piece was also as much about the negative space as the positive. The space between, as they say...

This is a detail photo of the reverse side of the necklace...it can be worn either way, depending on whether you like your orange BRIGHT or BRIGHTER ;-)

The clasp, in my usual style, is a continuation of the rest of the design:

There is so much fun in colour. I admire beadweavers such as Margie Deeb, Marcia DeCoster and Rachel Nelson-Smith for their fearless approach to using colour. When I grow up, I want to be just like them ;-)

Inject a little colour into your own designs...be bold, be brave! And don't forget to have FUN :-)

Thanks for looking, and be well!